🚀 Don’t Miss K2 Integrity’s Virtual Event on January 15th!
Navigating the New IA AML Mandate: Steps to Take Now. Register Today!

Hello Monday! It’s January 13, and we’re tracking top stories to start your week: Hamas has another Sinwar - and he’s rebuilding, U.S. tightens grip on AI chip flows across the globe, inside the Chinese factories fueling Shein's success, federal agents find sophisticated cartel narco tunnel at border, and much more…

💥 Podcast Drop Tomorrow!  

Stay tuned for the latest episode of DESIGNATED with Yaya Jata Fanusie — from Illicit Edge

Featured Story

🎯 Hamas Has Another Sinwar. And He’s Rebuilding. Under Yahya Sinwar’s younger brother, Hamas is recruiting new fighters in Gaza, drawing Israel into a war of attrition. WSJ

Top Stories

🌎 U.S. tightens its grip on AI chip flows across the globe Reuters

🌎 Top Asian Oil Buyers in Turmoil as U.S. Ratchets Up Sanctions Bloomberg

🌎 Germany’s Baerbock cautions on Syria as EU signals sanctions relief Politico

🌎 The truth behind your £10 dress: Inside the Chinese factories fueling Shein's success BBC

🌎 Federal agents find sophisticated ‘narco tunnel’ allowing cartels to sneak drugs – and humans – across the border NYP

🌎 FinCEN Asks Supreme Court to Reinstate Law Requiring Ownership Information WSJ

🌎 U.S. Supreme Court appears inclined to uphold TikTok ban-or-sale law Semafor

🌎 Biden admin delays enforcement of order blocking Nippon Steel, U.S. Steel deal Reuters

🌎 Prosecutors seek 15-year sentence for disgraced former NJ Senator Menendez Fox

🌎 The secret life of a legendary hacker who received a rare presidential pardon Semafor

🌎 Downfall of Dark Bank, the organized crime 'banker' who helped launder over €1B Le Monde 

🌎 Night Falls in Venezuela Free Press

China & Russia

💥 Putin’s passport trap: The Cubans caught in Moscow’s endless war Politico

💥 U.S. probe finds China unfairly dominates shipbuilding, paving way for penalties Reuters 

💥 Russian nationals arrested by U.S., ran crypto mixers Blender and Sinbad Record

💥 Tougher U.S. sanctions to curb Russian oil supply to China and India Reuters 

💥 China allows Iran to begin shipping oil from storage Iran Intl

💥 Zambia's SEC sanctions Standard Chartered over China property bond mis-selling Reuters

💥 Germany tows disabled Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker adrift in Baltic Sea CNN

💥 Gazprom Neft given 45 days to exit ownership of Serbia's NIS Reuters

Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 Professional athletes’ homes are still getting broken into. Here’s how the FBI says the thieves operate. CNN

💸 Corruption Scandals In Argentina Link Milei, Cristina Kirchner And Mauricio Macri Forbes 

💸 The Mafia’s Grip on a Brazilian Lottery Seemed Invincible. Until the Apps Came. NYT

💸 Italy releases Iranian citizen held on a US warrant over drone attack in Jordan AP

Crypto & Cyber

🔐 A company that tracks and sells Americans’ location data has seemingly been hacked NBC

🔐 Mango Markets shuts down following SEC settlement Cointelegraph 

🔐 Cybercrime Damages Highlight Need for Scalable Decentralized Infrastructure CoinDesk 

🔐 Do Kwon's Terra Trial Set for 2026 – Here's What You Need to Know Decrypt 

🔐 Singapore labels Polymarket illegal gambling, restricts site access DLN 

🔐 New York sues to recover $2M in crypto stolen in remote job scams Record 

🔐 Razzlekhan spits her final bars before serving Bitfinex money laundering sentence DLN

"The world cares very little what you or I know, but it does care a great deal about what you or I do." —Booker T. Washington

Share Illicit Edge with friends!

They can subscribe here for free and never miss a story.